Skipping toy and exerciser



NOV. 12, 1963 I Mi THOMPSON 3,110,493

SKIPPING TOY AND EXERCISER Filed Aug. 19. 1960 INVENTOR. RUTH M. THoM DSON ATTORN EYS 3,110,493 Patented Nov, 12, 1963 3,110,493 SKIPPING TOY AND EXERCISER Ruth M. Thompson, Cheviot, Ohio (3814 St. Martins Place, Cincinnati 11, Ohio) Filed Aug. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 50,704 3 Claims. (Cl. 272-74) This invention relates to toy and exerciser.

The primary object of the invention is the provision'of an efficient, efiective, and highly diverting device of the kind indicated, for use by children as a toy, and for use by adults as a developer of foot and leg dexterity and strength, the device involving an upper member adapted to be held stationary relative to the body, and a lower member, which is freely suspended near the ground from the upper member, and which is adapted to be rotated in a horizontal plane, by contact therewith of a foot or leg and to be skipped over or jumped or stepped over in a continuous walking motion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, rugged and safe-proofed device of the character indicated above, wherein the upper and lower members are connected by a cord, the cord being readily adjustable in length, to accommodate users of different heights.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a user holding a device of the invention and skipping a foot over the lower member as the same is rotated, as indicated by arrows;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of and,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation, partly broken away and in section, of one end of the upper member.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated device comprises a relatively short stationary upper member or handle .10, a relatively long lower member or rotating bar =12, and a flexible connector or cord .14, which connects the members and 12.

The handle 10 is in the form of a straight round rod 16, preferably tubular for lightness in weight, and preferably made of suitable light-weight material, such as aluminum or plastic. Engaged on the ends of the rod 16 are protective knobs or balls 18, of suitable material, such as foam rubber, for non-injurious contact with a user of the device.

The cord 14 is preferably in the form of a single length of suitable material, which is longer than any contemplated distances between the handle 10 and the rotating bar 12. The cord 14 comprises a relatively long main portion 20, whose adjusted length determines the distance between the handle 10 and the bar 12, and a shorter secondary portion .22 having a free end 24. Suitable cord length adjusting means, such as a slide clip 26, is slidably and frictionally or otherwise secured on the main cord portion 20, and the free end 24 of the secondary cord portion 22 is engaged through the clip 26, alongside of the main portion. The secondary cord portion 22 is adapted to be pulled through the clip 26, in opposite directions, to shorten and length the main cord portion 22.

The cord 14 is rotatably connected to the handle 10, at a location adjacent one end of the rod 16, by suitable means, such as an eye-bolt 28 having a shank 30- extending diametrically therethrough. Threaded on the upper a novel and improved skipping the device per se;

end of the shank 30 is an enlarged cap nut 32 which bears against a washer 34; and fixed on the shank 30 between an eye 36 and the underside of the rod 16 is a washer 68, the

' nut 32 being tightened to hold the eye-bolt 28 rotatably in place to prevent twisting of the cord 14 and creating a back swing. The cord 14 is trained freely through the eye 36.

At its lower end, the cord 14 has a closedloop 40 which is engaged through-the upstanding eye 42 of an eye-bolt 44, which is similar to, but is reversed relative to the eyebolt28, and extends through the exact middle or center ,of gravity of the rotating bar 12.

The rotating bar .12 is in the form of a rod 46, like the rod 16, and has protective knobs or balls 48, similar to the knobs orballs 18, secured on its ends. The rod 46 is preferably substantially about twice the length of the rod 16.

In use, and operation of the device, and as shown in FIGURE 1, the handle 10 is held between the arm 50 and the adjacent side of the body 52 of the user, preferably between the arm and the waist area, with the hand 54 of the same arm grasping the rod 16 at a point near to and behind the eye-bolt 28, so that the cord :14 hangs straight and free in a position forwardly of the user and toward the side of the arm 50, with the rotating bar 12 at ankle level above the ground, the cord 14 having been appropriately adjusted in length.

With the components of the device in the positions above described, and with the handle 10 held stationary, the user applies the ankle of the left foot '56, at the side of the body remote from the arm 50, to the rotating bar 1 2, as indicated in FIGURE 1, at the corresponding end thereof, so as to rotate the bar 12, on the axis of the cord 14, in a corresponding direction, exemplified as being counterclockwise by the arrows 58. As the bar -12 approaches the remaining or right foot 60, the right foot 60 is lifted over the bar .13, followed by the left foot in a continuous walking motion.

The right foot 60 or its ankle, upon the light foot being returned to the ground, can then be applied to the bar 12, when necesary to maintain the momentum of or to increase the velocity of swing of the bar 12; and both feet can be alternated to oscillate the bar and alternately skipped over the bar '12.

It will be understood that the device can be equally well operated from the left-hand side of the body of the user.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising an elongated rigid handle rod, a relatively long rigid rotating rod having a middle portion, and a flexible cord secured at its ends to the middle portion of the rotating rod and to the handle rod at one end thereof, said handle rod and said rotating rod having protective knobs on their ends, said cord comprising a relatively long main portion terminating at one end in a relatively short secondary portion, the other end of the main portion being connected to the rotating rod, said secondary portion having a free end, means slidably connecting an intermediate part of the cord to the handle rod, and an adjusting clip engaged on said main portion through which the free end of the secondary portion slidably and securably extends.

2. A device of the character described comprising an elongated rigid handle rod, a relatively long rigid rotating rod having a middle portion, and a flexible cord secured at its ends to the middle portion of the rotating rod and to the handle rod at oneend thereof, said handle rod and said rotating rodhaving protective knobs on their ends, said cord comprising a relatively long main portion terminating at one end in a relatively short secondary portion, the other end of the main portion being connected to the rotating rod, said secondary portion having a free end, means slidably connecting an intermediate part of the cord to the handle rod, and an adjusting clip engaged on said main portion through which the free end of the secondary portion slidably and seourably extends, said means comprising an eye of a first eye-bolt secured through the handle rod.

3..A device of the character described comprising an elongated rigid handle rod, a relatively long rigid rotating 'rod having a middle portion, and a flexible cord secured at its ends to the middle portion of the rotating rod and to the handle rod at one end thereof, said handle rod and said rotating rod having protective knobs on their ends, said cord comprising a relatively long main portion termihating at one end in a relatively short secondary portion,

the other end of the main portion being connected to the rotating rod, said secondary portion having a free end, means slidably connecting an intermediate part of the cord to the handle rod, and an adj-listing clip engaged on said main port-ion through which the free end of the secondary portion slidably and securably extends, said means comprising an eye of a first eye-bolt secured through the handle rod, a second eye-bolt being secured through the rotating bar, having an eye through which said other end 10 of the main portion is engaged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,385,642 Restein July 26, 1921 15 2,307,905 Ament Jan. 12,1943

FOREIGN PATENTS 85,034 Switzerland May 1, 1920 292,505 Germany Mar. 6, 1914 

1. A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING AN ELONGATED RIGID HANDLE ROD, A RELATIVELY LONG RIGID ROTATING ROD HAVING A MIDDLE PORTION, AND A FLEXIBLE CORD SECURED AT ITS ENDS TO THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE ROTATING ROD AND TO THE HANDLE ROD AT ONE END THEREOF, SAID HANDLE ROD AND SAID ROTATING ROD HAVING PROTECTIVE KNOBS ON THEIR ENDS, SAID CORD COMPRISING A RELATIVELY LONG MAIN PORTION TERMINATING AT ONE END IN A RELATIVELY SHORT SECONDARY PORTION, THE OTHER END OF THE MAIN PORTION BEING CONNECTED TO THE ROTATING ROD, SAID SECONDARY PORTION HAVING A FREE END, MEANS SLIDABLY CONNECTING AN INTERMEDIATE PART OF THE CORD TO THE HANDLE ROD, AND AN ADJUSTING CLIP ENGAGED ON SAID MAIN PORTION THROUGH WHICH THE FREE END OF THE SECONDARY PORTION SLIDABLY AND SECURABLY EXTENDS. 